The Paradox of Tolerance

The Paradox of Tolerance

From Omnishambles by Virginia Heffernan and Cy Canterel

January 12, 2026 · 1h 18m

About this episode

Virginia and Cy discuss the paradox of tolerance, the implications of motivated reasoning, and the importance of personal reflection in a fractured society.

This is Omnishambles! A free, weekly podcast of slightly deranged ways of seeing. Virginia and Cy discuss fractured realities, fascism’s fatal flaw, and why keeping a diary might be the most radical act you can do right now. We discuss: * How the Renee Good murder revealed that motivated reasoning—not actual ambiguity—is fracturing American reality * Why the paradox of tolerance matters now: what does a pluralist society owe people who … can’t handle plurality? * The underground genealogy of the current moment (spoiler: it’s been brewing in evangelical Christianity since the 1960s) * Iris Origo’s war diaries and why putting pen to paper might save your sanity when propaganda becomes a deafening cacophony * The difference between teaching and indoctrination—and what happens when a Mormon girl looks at a map and asks “wait, what are the chances?” * Why fascism is constitutionally terrible at survival (it’s suicidal by design) but also: the body count still matters * Mutual aid, record-keeping, and how to not go insane while toggling between doomscrolling and actually living your life This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to…

People in this episode

Hosts: Virginia Heffernan, Cy Canterel

Topics covered

  • tolerance
  • fascism
  • pluralism
  • genealogy
  • diaries
  • mutual aid
  • mental health

Keywords

  • tolerance
  • fascism
  • pluralism
  • diaries
  • motivated reasoning
  • mutual aid
  • mental health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: evangelical Christianity, Mormon

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